Arlington Friends of the Drama

Last updated

History

Arlington Friends of the Drama, also known as AFD Theatre, is located in Arlington, Massachusetts. Founded in 1923, it is one of the ten oldest continually operating community theaters in the United States. [1] Incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in the early 1930s, Arlington Friends of the Drama outbid the Odd Fellows in 1933 to purchase the St. John's Episcopal Church building, which had outgrown the space and was building a new church one block away. Originally purchased for $8200, the building has since served as the organization's theater, and is part of the Arlington Center Historic District. The church pews served as seats until the theater was given a gift of used theater seats in 1947. In 1998 the theater underwent renovations to expand the lobby and make the building handicap accessible. [2]

Contents

The opening season, the theater first produced an evening of one-act plays. Though founded by ladies of the Arlington Woman's Club, by 1924 men were allowed to join and take part in the productions. [3] The first major musical produced by the theater was Iolanthe in 1935. Currently the theater produces four shows per year, usually including a major musical, a comedy, a drama and a smaller musical. The theater provides members of the community experience in all aspects of theater arts through hands-on experience, mentorship, and workshops. In addition, every year the Denis M. Fitzpatrick Scholarship is awarded to a graduating Arlington High School senior, chosen by the high school, who has demonstrated excellence in some aspect of theater arts and wishes to continue their studies at the college level. [4] The theater is a member of EMACT, the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theaters, as well as AACT, the American Association of Community Theatre. [5]

The theater was subject of the book The Stuff of Dreams: Behind the Scenes of an American Community Theater, by Leah Hager Cohen, [6] and is mentioned frequently in Images of America: Greater Boston Community Theater by Judson Lee Pierce. [7]

Awards

Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theaters (EMACT), New England Theater Competition: [8]

Moss Hart Award: [9] [10]

Moss Hart Honorable Mention: Into the Woods 2002, Rabbit Hole 2009

EMACT Distinguished Achievement Awards: [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George S. Kaufman</span> American playwright, theater director and producer (1889–1961)

George Simon Kaufman was an American playwright, theater director and producer, humorist, and drama critic. In addition to comedies and political satire, he wrote several musicals for the Marx Brothers and others. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the musical Of Thee I Sing in 1932, and won again in 1937 for the play You Can't Take It with You. He also won the Tony Award for Best Director in 1951 for the musical Guys and Dolls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moss Hart</span> American playwright, librettist and theater director

Moss Hart was an American playwright, librettist, and theater director.

Reverend Alvin Allison "Al" Carmines Jr. was a key figure in the expansion of off-off-Broadway theatre in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Catholic High School</span> Private, coeducational school in Arlington, Massachusetts, United States

Arlington Catholic High School (ACHS) is a coeducational Catholic high school in Arlington, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and serves grades 9-12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amateur theatre</span> Theatre performed by amateur actors and singers

Amateur theatre, also known as amateur dramatics, is theatre performed by amateur actors and singers. Amateur theatre groups may stage plays, revues, musicals, light opera, pantomime or variety shows, and do so for the social activity as well as for aesthetic values. Productions may take place in venues ranging from the open air, community centres, or schools to independent or major professional theatres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Wachusett Community College</span> Public community college in Gardner, Massachusetts, U.S.

Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) is a public community college in Gardner, Massachusetts. Established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1963, it features an open admissions policy for the majority of its academic programs. MWCC offers more than 70 academic programs that allow students to earn an Associate of Science degree (A.S.), Associate of Arts degree (A.A.), or a certificate.

<i>Merrily We Roll Along</i> (musical) 1981 musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth

Merrily We Roll Along is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

Alexander H. Cohen was an American theatrical producer who mounted more than one hundred productions on both sides of the Atlantic. He was the only American producer to maintain offices in the West End as well as on Broadway.

Albert Francis Innaurato Jr. was an American playwright, theatre director, and writer.

Leah Hager Cohen is an American author who writes both fiction and nonfiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebon Moss-Bachrach</span> American actor (born 1977)

Ebon Moss-Bachrach is an American actor. He is known for his role as restaurant manager Richie Jerimovich in the comedy-drama series The Bear (2022–present), for which he was twice awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in addition to a Golden Globe Award nomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vokes Theatre</span>

The Vokes Theatre, also known as Beatrice Herford's Vokes Theatre, is a 1904 miniature of a London theatre in Wayland, Massachusetts built by and named for Beatrice Herford. The theatre is located on the estate of Herford and her husband, Sidney Hayward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marblehead Little Theatre</span>

The Marblehead Little Theatre is a community theatre in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Founded in 1956, it is one of the oldest continually operating community theatres in New England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre Memphis</span>

Theatre Memphis is a non-profit community theatre located in Memphis, Tennessee. The building houses two separate stages – the Lohrey Theatre main stage, which seats up to 411, and the smaller black-box theatre, the Next Stage, which seats approximately 100.

Patrick Wang is an American writer, economist, director, and actor. His first feature film was the indie film In the Family which was released in 2011. He later directed the two-part indie film A Bread Factory in 2018.

Brooke (Wetzel) Ciardelli is an American theater and film director, producer and writer. She founded the award-winning regional theater company Northern Stage in White River Junction, Vermont.

<i>Kid Victory</i> Musical by John Kander and Greg Pierce

Kid Victory is a musical with the story by John Kander and Greg Pierce, and music by John Kander, book and lyrics by Greg Pierce, co-produced by Vineyard Theatre and Signature Theatre.

The Fabulous Invalid is a 1938 stage play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart following the oscillating fortunes of a fictitious Broadway theater, the Alexandria, in the period between 1900 and 1930. The play's title has since entered the vernacular as a synonym for the theater.

The Other Josh Cohen is a 2012 musical comedy with book, music, and lyrics by Steve Rosen and David Rossmer. The musical was nominated for six Drama Desk Awards in 2013 and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre III</span> Community theater in Massachusetts, US

Theatre III is a community theater located in Acton, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1955 as the Acton Community Center. The Little Theater Workshop, founded by Bob Darling, put on its first production, The Curious Savage, in 1956. Two other local artistic organizations, Community Dance Theatre and The Acton Community Chorus combined with the Little Theater Workshop to form Theatre III in 1969.

References

  1. Pierce, Judson Lee (2006). Images of America: Greater Boston Community Theater. Portsmouth , NH: Arcadia Publishing. pp.  20. ISBN   0-7385-4564-3.
  2. Cohen, Leah (2001). The Stuff of Dreams: Behind the Scenes of an American Community Theater. New York, NY: Viking. pp.  35–40. ISBN   0-670-89981-X.
  3. Pierce, Judson Lee (2006). Images of America: Greater Boston Community Theater. Portsmouth, NH: Arcadia Publishing. pp.  20. ISBN   0-7385-4564-3.
  4. Doyle, Glen. "AFD Theatre". Arlington Friends of the Drama.
  5. American Association of Community Theatre. "Arlington Friends of the Drama". Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2011.
  6. Cohen, Leah Hager (2001). The Stuff of Dreams: Behind the Scenes of an American Community Theater. New York, NY: Viking Press. ISBN   0-670-89981-X.
  7. Pierce, Judson Lee (2006). Images of America: Greater Boston Community Theater. Portsmouth, NH: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   0-7385-4564-3.
  8. Doyle, Glen. "EMACT Awards". Arlington Friends of the Drama. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  9. New England Theatre Conference. "Moss Hart Award" . Retrieved November 8, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. Doyle, Glen. "Moss Hart Awards". Arlington Friends of the Drama. Retrieved October 23, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. EMACT, Board of Directors. "DASH Awards Winners" . Retrieved November 27, 2024.